Evaluation of mindfulness practice in mitigating impostor feelings in dental students

Abstract

This study examined (i) the prevalence of impostor feelings in firstyear dental students, (ii) student perceptions of a mindfulness practice as a tool to cope with impostor feelings, and (iii) students' ability to identify their level of impostor feelings. Methods: Two hundred three D1 students at a single institution participated in a mandatory Mind-Body Wellness Course that included the presentation "Understanding Imposter Phenomenon" (lecture #1) and a second presentation "Impostor Phenomenon and Mindfulness: Tools for Success" (lecture #2) 6 months later. Before lecture #2, all students predicted the level to which they suffer from imposter feelings and then took the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) to determine the actual level. After lecture #2, 155 of the students completed a survey on whether the mindfulness practices in the lecture impact their perceptions on coping with impostor feelings.Results: Fifty-two percent of students were classified as frequent or intense impostors by the CIPS. Fifty-one percent predicted their CIPS classification correctly; 43% underestimated their impostor classification. After lecture #2, 86% reported feeling confident they could recognize their impostor feelings, and 93% reported feeling more aware of how impostor feelings influence their thoughts, behaviors, and actions. Eighty-six percent reported feeling the mindfulness exercise was a helpful tool to build habits to cope with impostor feelings; 83% reported feeling confident they could utilize mindfulness practices to mitigate these feelings when they arise. Conclusions:Frequent or intense impostor feelings may be common in firstyear dental students. Mindfulness practice has potential to mitigate such impostor feelings.

Student support services: Perceptions and recommendations for the next generation

“…Mindfulness training and practice have been suggested for dental students and may mitigate feelings of impostor syndrome 19 and stress as well as potentially improve overall student wellness 20 . While two‐thirds of student services officers considered mindfulness programs to be well‐utilized, only a third of the student respondents agreed.…”

Impostor phenomenon: Prevalence among 1st year medical students and strategies for mitigation

“…Within each of these programs, significant associations were found between IP and psychological distress in health professional students [ 27 ]. More recent studies in first-year dental students found 86 % of students reported feelings of IP r and 51 % were classified as frequent or intense impostors on the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale [ 28 ]. In pharmacy and nursing students, moderate to high levels of IP feelings have been recently found [ 29 , 30 ].…”